In The News

Returning from a speaking engagement - President Ford is unhurt when his armored limo was struck by another car during a motorcade toward Hartford’s airport. The other vehicle was driven by 19-year-old James Salanites.

President and Mrs. Ford celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary and invite 34 friends to a buffet-style dinner at the White House.

President Ford, suffering from a sinus cold, is ordered by his doctor to spend the day in the White House family quarters.

It’s announced the Soviet Union will purchase a minimum of 6 million metric tons of U.S. grain annually. Also – there’s a letter of intent committing both governments to open negotiations toward a five-year agreement under which the United States would buy 10 million metric tons a year of Soviet oil and oil products. The U.S. now has a 17 million-barrel daily oil consumption and this would be about 1.17% of the nation’s current consumption.

Chinese Communist party Chairman Mao Tse-Tung calls in Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger for an unexpected meeting and diplomatic sources say Mao warned the U.S. against the dangers of détente with the Soviet Union.

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat voices his “concern and opposition” to the United States arming Israel with Pershing ground-to-ground missiles. He warned that such escalation would be matched by Egypt.

London - Caroline Kennedy narrowly escapes death or injury and was reported “very shaken” in a bombing that blew up the car of her British host – an antiterrorist campaigner. , The bomb, which senior detectives said they believed was planted by the Irish Republican army, killed one of Britain’s leading cancer specialists who was walking nearby and wounded seven other persons.

Mayor Abraham D. Beam says that even if New York City defaulted and was thereby spared from paying interest on its debits, it would still be $1 billion short of the cash needed to meet payrolls from December to March.

Plans to cut $724 million – the equivalent of 55,000 jobs from New York City’s deficit-riddled budget over the next three years were approved by Gov. Hugh Carey and the state board that has taken control of the city’s finances.

The Food and Drug Administration says there might be a radiation problem in about 1 million Zenith color television sets owned by consumers across the country.

Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine - David Baltimore of MIT, Howard Temin of the University of Wisconsin and Renato Dulbecco – a naturalized American share the $143,000 Nobel Prize for cancer studies.

The gross national product, the broadest measure of the nation’s economic health, grew at an annual rate of 11.2% during the three months ending Sept. 30 for the highest increase in 20 years.

Susan Ford shelters in the White House two close girlfriends whose divorced parents and grandmother were killed in a murder-suicide shooting case. The girls are Ellson and Regan Golubin – 18-year-old twin sisters from Atlanta.

Sports news – October 15, 1975

The Cincinnati Reds win the World Series – beating the Boston Red Sox in game 7. Final score was 4-3!

Goodbye World Football League - The World Football League – a record-setting money loser since the day it was formed two years ago, ends its financial miseries when it announces termination of al operations effective immediately. The collapse of the WFL after running up debts and losses well over $30 million is certain to touch off a run by National Football League teams to sign the high-quality players among the 360 suddenly left without a job. NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle placed a deadline of 4pm., EDT, October 28 for such signings to be completed.

Bob Griese, cashing in on a wave of New York turnovers including six Joe Namath interceptions, passed for three touchdowns and ran for one to lead the Miami Dolphins to a 43-0 rout of the New York Jets.

NBA commissioner Lawrence O’ Brien declares Wilt Chamberlain a free agent. He is free to sign with any team in the league.

NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle warns Congress that if players were allowed to market their services from team to team without restriction, more than half of the present pro football franchises would be driven out of business in a few years.

Tennis pro Martina Navratilova (18) of Czechoslovakia is granted political asylum in the United States. She currently ranks second to Chris Evert with tennis earnings of $140,000. “Now I Am Free,” she says. She is living with her manager, Fred Barman, a Hollywood agent and founder of World Team Tennis, his wife and daughter. Next year, she plans on having her own apartment.

Entertainment /Celebrity news – October 15, 1975

Engaged - Twiggy (26) the British model and actress to Michael Witney (38) – an American actor. His divorce needs to become final.

Married again - Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are re-married n northern Botswana by a district commissioner form the Tawanna tribe. After the ceremony, the couple drank champagne toasts on a river bank as two hippos looked on. The Burtons chose to remarry at Chobe because they liked the area. Taylor (43) and Burton (49) were reconciled in Switzerland in August after 14 months of divorce. They were marred first in 1964.

At Bookstores - “Hoffa The Real Story” by James Hoffa

Music news – October 15, 1975

Now hitmakers - They served as backup musicians for Wilson Pickett and Edwin star and worked on other artists’ sessions. Formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1968 they went through two names – the Untouchables and the Players – before coming to – The Ohio Players. They say they’ve always done a show that was wild and different – dressing fancy and doing crazy comedy bits. The Ohio Players consist of Clarence Satchell, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrooks, Billy Peck, Marvin Pierce, Leroy Bonner and Jimmy Diamond. They describe their hit “Fire” as basically disco, progressive rock and a touch of jazz and blues.

Kiki Dee who dropped out of the music business for a while, is recording again and is working with Davey Johnstone, a member of Elton John’s band.

Bruce Springsteen makes his Los Angeles concert debut this week. A huge Sunset Blvd billboard declared that Bruce Springsteen’s time has finally arrived. He’ll appear at the Roxy. “What am I doing on the cover of Time and Newsweek? I’m not the President. I’m really just a simple guy. I got my band and my music and I love ‘em both. That’s my world. My life. It always has been,” said Springsteen, sporting a closely cropped beard. With Springsteen at his hotel – John Landau – the Rolling Stone columnist who co-produced “Born to Run” and his manger – Mike Appel.

Television news – October 15, 1975

The Price is Right with Bob Barker will be expanded to one hour beginning November 3 – making it the first hour-long daytime gameshow.

ABC’s “AM America” morning show will get a new host, new title and stage set. Actor David Hartman will replace ABC newsman Bill Beutel as permanent anchorman. The revised show, to begin November 3 will be called “Good Morning America.” The regulars will be Jonathan Winters, ABC newsman Geraldo Rivera, Hollywood columnist Rona Barrett and syndicated humorist Erma Bombeck. John Lindsay and Jack Anderson will remain.

Another Made For TV Movie – NBC Monday Night. See “UFO Incident” Starring James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons

Last week ratings – ABC posts one of its best ratings ever with an 18.8 rating average and 32.5 audience share. NBC – 18.0 share and 30.9 share and CBS – 17.3 rating and a 30.0 share. ABC took five of the top 10 programs.

Made For TV Movie On NBC – “The Deadly Tower” with Kurt Russell and John Forstythe.